


Bottled Up

by NamelessMoogle



Series: 100 ways to say I LOVE YOU [9]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Comfort, Drabble, Emotionally Repressed, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 23:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16294367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessMoogle/pseuds/NamelessMoogle
Summary: The boy who could lend his ears to everyone he talked to had no one to confide in.





	Bottled Up

**Author's Note:**

> 90\. "You can tell me anything."

Souji Seta always kept his thoughts and feelings to himself, as he was frequently on the move, depending on where his parents' jobs took the family. He never thought it a problem, even after he came to Inaba and met the people he now considered friends. He kept believing that there was nothing wrong about it: he was used to looking after himself, and he had no intention of bothering any of his friends with what trivial issues he had every now and then.

Hence, the boy who could lend his ears to everyone he talked to had no one to confide in. The odd times when he felt strong emotions of some sort bothering himself, he wrote the frustration out on a piece of paper, which he burned immediately afterwards so that he wouldn't have to burden anyone. It was a simple trick that always worked, so Souji made sure to keep a ream of paper and tens of black ballpoint pens in his room.

The top second-year student of Yasogami High School never realized he was missing something precious, until someone else had the heart to point it out to him.

"Hey, Partner," Yosuke greeted Souji when they ran into each other after school one day.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much."

Though it was the usual response Souji gave, Yosuke remained silent for seconds, lost in thoughts, a behaviour not typical of Yosuke Hanamura at all. Souji waited for his best friend to say something in return. He ended up waiting slightly longer than he had expected, but Yosuke eventually started to talk.

"You always say the same thing." Yosuke stared at Souji before adding, "...as if you don't want me to know how you are _really_ doing."

"That's not what I mean."

"I hope that's true, Partner." Yosuke closed his eyes and sighed. "I mean, I don't wanna force you to tell me something you don't wanna talk about. But, you know, if and when you need someone to talk to, remember that I'm right here for you."

Souji's heart was beating fast enough to drown out all the thoughts in his head. "Yosuke..."

"Whenever you're ready, you can tell me anything." Yosuke flashed a smile as he pulled and held Souji's callous hand. "I'm on your side."

**Author's Note:**

> [Scream at me about my little fics](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1).


End file.
